Folding blade



Patented Aug. 9, 1932 UNITD STATES PATENT oFFicE HENRY A. WISE WOOD, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO WOOD NEWSPAPER MA CHINERY CORPDEATION, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF VIRGINIA FOLDING BLADE Application filed January 2, 1929, Serial No. 329,869. Renewed. March 26, 1932.

This invention relates to the folding blade of a folding machine. The principal object of the same is to provide means for engaging the paper as it is doubled by the folding blade and keeping it from crowding into the angle of the fold coming out longer than on the other half.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a sectional view of a part of a folding cylinder with a folding blade in position for starting to double the product and a preferred embodiment of the invention applied thereto;

Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are similar views showing other steps in the folding operation, and

Fig. 5 is a View showing the final step of the folding operation.

In the ordinary action of a folding blade there is a tendency of the paper to crowd into the corner made between the flat folding blade and the folding cylinder. This being a sharp corner substantially of right angular form, the paper tends to form a sort of a fold at that point and also the paper on the two sides of the folding blade is apt not to come through evenly to the folding rolls.

For the purpose of avoiding this difficulty, I have provides means for filling the triangular space between the folding blade and its support on one or both sides, so as to keep the paper from crowding into the angle. I have shown the folding cylinder 10 as provided with rotary supports 11, each carrying a folding blade 12. This folding blade acts in the usual way as indicated by the several figures. Instead of being flat and of uniform thickness I shape the blade of a single piece of metal to conform to the pathways through which the paper travels. On both sides preferably it extends outwardly from the center at the base of the blade to form concave curves 13.

It will be seen that the blade works in the usual way until it gets to the position shown in Fig. 4:. Here the concave side 13 is engaged by the paper being folded, keeping this paper out of the usual corner between the blade and its support. This prevents a sharp corner being formed in the paper and also prevents more paper being located on one side of the blade than on the other.

After the blade passes the point shown in Fig. 4, the paper naturally comes back against one of the folding rolls 15 and has notendency to move back against the surface 13. The paper comes through folded properly in the centerand without any wrinkle. The paper is made to follow the course prepared for it by the folding rolls and it will not be crowded into a corner. The blade also is made of a single piece of metal, preferably.

Although I have illustrated and described only one form of the invention, I am aware of the fact that modifications can be made therein by any person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as expressed in the claims. Therefore, I do not wish to be limited to all the details of construction herein shown and described, but what I do claim is:

1. The combination with a folding cylinder, of a rotating folding blade-element having means to conform the sheet being folded to substantially the curvature of the folding rolls during the folding of the sheet.

2. The combination with a folding cylinder of a folding blade provided with a concave surface on the incoming side to conform that side of the sheet to the curvature of one of the folding rolls, said concave surface formin g a wide obtuse angle with the surface of the cylinder when the blade is about to complete the fold for receiving the incoming side of the paper and preventing the formation of a second fold against the cylinder.

3. A folding blade for a folding machine movable with respect to its cylinder and having a concave surface for preventing the formation of'a corner next to the butt of the blade into which the paper could crowd.

4. The combination with a folding cylinder, of a rotary support carried thereby and a blade carried by said support having a surface extending backwardly from the edge of the blade, projecting outwardly therefrom in a gentle curve and then over toward the support.

5. The combination with a folding cylinder on which the sheet is carried, of a folding blade thereon having a surface extending backwardly from the edge of the blade toward said cylinder at a wide angle projecting outwardly therefrom in a concave curve to prevent the formation of a right angle between the blade and cylinder just before the fold is completed, for the purpose described.

6. The combination of a folding cylinder for carrying the paper, of a relatively movable folding blade having a concave surface N extending backwardly from the edge of the blade far enough to form a wide obtuseangle with the surface of said cylinder, for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I havehereunto affixed my signature.

HENRY A. XVISE WVOOD. 

